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Tom Rinaldi: I Tell As Many Positive Stories As Sad Ones

“Even though by volume there’s an equality, there is a disproportion of meaning and memorability to those stories.”

Ricky Keeler

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Tom Rinaldi
Sports Illustrated

Tom Rinaldi is one of the better, more captivating storytellers in sports media. One of the many roles that Rinaldi had at ESPN for 19 years was the main voice for features on College GameDay. 

Now, in addition to working the sidelines on big games for FOX, Rinaldi is telling feature stories on their college football pregame show, Big Noon Kickoff, a show that is rising in popularity. This week, Rinaldi was a guest on The Ryen Russillo Podcast to discuss his time at ESPN. 

During the interview, Russillo threw out a theory about College GameDay since he used to host the radio version of the show on ESPN Radio. He said he felt the show has been pushing for longer-form storytelling and that it “veers towards sadness” a lot. He wondered if there was research by programmers that showed people wanted to see more redemption in stories.

“It’s a fascinating theory,” Rinaldi answered. “That was never brought up. Features were brought up. If you actually took a season’s worth of storytelling content, whether it’s Big Noon Kickoff or on Gameday, you would see that there’s a balance of he’s good, she’s good, the lighter story, and the heavier story.

“I would submit that what people perhaps fail to recognize is that it is the heavier story that is more memorable. Even though by volume there’s an equality, there is a disproportion of meaning and memorability to those stories.”

While Rinaldi isn’t on any form of social media, but he does hear what some critics think of the amount of stories that air on a two or three-hour show. That doesn’t mean he is fazed by the criticism.

“I think there is at times a thought that these stories are wrong to tell or there are too many of them or I hear terrible terms suggested to me like tragedy porn or things of that nature. I would just suggest you always have the right not to watch. You always have the right to look away.” 

As for how Big Noon Kickoff is doing, Rinaldi feels that while GameDay is set in stone for what it is, the FOX college football pregame show is still establishing its identity.

When asked to compare the two networks, Rinaldi had nothing but good things to say about both. He said the decision to move on from ESPN was not an easy one to make.

“It’s difficult to leave a place that you love and you’ve been for 19 years. I’ll always love ESPN. I’m grateful for the next. There is so many wonderful things I got to do during my time at ESPN. Now, the chance to do not only Saturdays, but Sundays, the chance to do the World Cup, some features for the World Series, I’m just so grateful and I’ll always love ESPN, but so far, things have been tremendous on FOX.”

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Erin Andrews Reveals Infertility Journey in Emotional ‘Today Show’ Interview

FOX reporter Erin Andrews sat down with ‘The Today Show’s’ Kristen Welker to discuss her journey, how Welker’s own journey inspired her, and more.

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Erin Andrews

FOX reporter Erin Andrews shared her story of infertility and surrogacy with NBC’s Today Show. Last summer, Andrews and her husband welcomed a baby boy via surrogate after trying for a decade to get pregnant via IVF, during which she was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2016. Today, she sat down with Kristen Welker to discuss her journey, how Welker’s own journey inspired her, and more.

Andrews says Welker’s announcement on the Today Show made her think a baby could be possible. “I remember Kristin Welker’s announcement on your show,” Andrews said last year, “and I actually watched that the morning Mac was born, because that just hit me.”

When they finally sat down, Welker asked Andrews why her journey resonated with the sports reporter so much:

“Because I see myself in you. Kristen, the video of you moderating debates after you’re waiting on bad news or maybe you just received it, that’s me. I can tell you every stand-up I’ve done at a football game where I’ve gotten the news that it didn’t work. I’d be talking about Tom Brady going for this record and my record is that I still was failing…I would have chest pains every time I was waiting for the call if it worked, and I knew it wouldn’t work.

Erin Andrews on ‘Today’

Andrews knew surrogacy was the only path to having a child. Although her family’s first attempt failed, her second attempt was a success, and she got to hear her child’s heartbeat for the very first time. The pair discuss the complex emotions that come with surrogacy, saying that bonds with their child could be affected because they didn’t carry their child. However, Welker assured Andrews that those feelings go away once you can talk to your child.

Once her son was born in June, who Andrews called, “a miracle,” she then talks about her child glowingly, talking about how he is just like mom — vocal. “He’s all me,” she says.

Andrews supports Baby Quest, a non-profit that grants money to families in need of IVF or surrogacy to have a baby but don’t have the funds to pursue these expensive treatments. Both Andrews and Welker acknowledged how difficult and unattainable their journies are for some families — and Andrews even used the NFL’s “My Cleats, My Cause” initiative to raise awareness for her cause.

“People don’t need to feel embarrassed that they have a surrogate or are looking for other help,” Andrews said.

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Curt Menefee and Joel Klatt to be Lead Fox Sports UFL Broadcast Team

Curt Menefee, Joel Klatt, and Brock Huard will make up the first XFL on FOX announce team, while Kevin Kugler, Devin Gardner, and Jake Butt are the #2 team.

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FOX is ready for the United Football League (UFL) season and recently announced its broadcast lineup for the upcoming season. Curt Menefee returns to the booth alongside Joel Klatt to make up the primary UFL commentary team. Joining Menefee and Klatt from the sidelines will be former NFL and University of Washington QB Brock Huard.

Menefee and Klatt will call the season-opening matchup between the defending two-time USFL Champion Birmingham Stallions and the reigning XFL Champion Arlington Renegades on Saturday, Mar. 30 at 1 p.m. ET. The second team of Kevin Kugler and former Michigan quarterback Devin Gardner will call the second game of the day when the St. Louis Battlehawks take on the Michigan Panthers at 4:00 p.m. ET on FOX. Former Denver Broncos tight end Jake Butt will man the sidelines for that game.

Former NFL and USC QB Mark Sanchez was also mentioned in the FOX news release but details of his involvement were not made clear.

The UFL season kicks off on FOX this weekend and continues over on ESPN. Both networks will split coverage of the league all season long.

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CBS Sports Host James Brown To Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at Sports Emmys

“I am incredibly humbled by this award. I know full well that it’s not as much about me as it is about all the people with whom…I worked over all these years.”

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James Brown
Courtesy: Mary Kouw, CBS

Longtime CBS Sports host James Brown will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 45th Sports Emmys. The awards show announced the news via its X account last night:

Brown is a three-time Sports Emmy winner for his work on CBS’ The NFL Today and previously FOX’s The NFL On FOX, and HBO’s Inside the NFL. Brown’s career spans more than 30 years and includes numerous accolades such as the Pete Rozelle Award from the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Uncommon Award from Tony Dungy.

He was named “Best Studio Host of the Decade” by Sports Illustrated in 2010 and was honored with the 2009 Dick Schaap Memorial Award for Media Excellence. In 1998 he was awarded the Golden Mic Award by the Black Broadcasters Alliance. Brown was elected into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2021.

“I am incredibly humbled by this award,” Brown said via the Sports Emmys. “I know full well that it’s not as much about me as it is about all the people with whom and for whom I worked over all these years. Thank God for the blessing!”

Sports media came together to honor Brown’s achievement:

Brown and other award recipients will be honored at the Sports Emmys award ceremony in May.

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